Typewriting-machine



J. PHELPS.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. 1917 Patented July 13, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNEEIEIEEJ 5 1/4441, H15 ATTVDR'NEYH J. PHELPS.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. 1917.

Patented July 13, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mm m

Hi5 ATTORNEY J. PHELPS TYPEWRITJNG MACHINE, APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. 19W.

lNvENTmR Pananted July 13 192$.

LS MQSQZFC \NITMEEiEE till UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH PHELPS, 0F BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 REMINGTON TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, OF ILION, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPE'WRITING-MACHIN'E.

Application filed May 22, 1917.

To all whom it may can r'crn Beit known thatl, Josnrn PHnLPs, citizen of the United States, and resident of llelleville, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typewriting- Machines, of which the following is a specification. l

My present invention relates to ribbon mechanism for writing machines, and particularly to tensioning devices for the ribbons of such machines, the main object of the invention being to provide new and improved ribbon tensioning devices which while gen erally applicable are especially adapted for use in connection with ribbon mechanism employing a comparatively long stretch of ribbon that is constantly held or maintained opposite the printing line on the platen. Such a ribbon is ordinarily used in connection with the usual ribbon of the machine and is interleaved with work sheets. When these work sheets are fed the tendency is to carry the interleaved ribbon with them, displacing it from its proper position and also causing it to slaclren or become loose. The tendency to slacken is increased by so mounting the carriage carried ribbon that it may be thrown or swung up out of operative position. In general it may be said that the use or manipulation of this ribbon is such that the long printing portion of it is frequently subjected to displacement and to slackening. The ,particular object of my present invention is to provide new and im proved devices which will prevent slackening and resist undesirable displacement, this object being obtained by the employment of devices which automatically maintain a substantially uniform tension on that portion of the ribbon that extends from one ribbon 'arrier or spool to the other, the tension or pull being such that displacement is resisted and slack or looseness taken up or prevented. In. carrying out the invention in thepresent instance, it have illustrated the preferred form as applied to one style of the front strike Remington typewriting machine.

To the above and other ends my inven tion consists of the features of construction, combinations of devices and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13., 1920.

Serial No 170,199.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a plan view of said machine with my invention applied thereto, parts being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front to rear vertical sectional view of the upper part of said machine.

Figs. 3 and l are fragmentary detail views of the guide for the carriage carried ribbon, Fig. 4 being a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the dotted line 1 in Fig. 1 and looking forward in the direction of the arrow at said line.

Fig. (i is a vertical sectional View, taken on the plane indicated by the dotted line 2 in Fig. 5 and looking in the'direction of the arrow at said line.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the carriage carried ribbon devices detached.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken axially of the spool shaft through one of the ribbon spools and associate parts.

Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 are views taken on transverse planes indicated in Fig. 8 by the respective dotted lines A B, C D, E F, ,G H and K L, and looking in the directions of the arrows at said lines.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary face view of the left-hand flange-of the ribbon spool shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 15 is a detached detail view of a part hereinafter termed a sleeve or hollow shaft.

Referring first especially to Figs. 1 and 2, the main frame of the machine is shown as comprising top plate sections 1 and 2, above which are fixed grooved guide rails 3 and 4 that eoiiperate through rollers 5 with grooved front and rear bars 6 and 7 of a .i-arriage that further comprises connecting end bars 8. Mounted on said carriage 1s a cylindrical platen 9, connected with the right-hand end whereof is a line spacing ratchet wheel 10. The usual printing instriunentalities, not shown, of the No. 11 Remington machine cooperate with the front face of the platen 9. The carriage mo tor and escapement devices are also omitted from the drawing Said printing instrunientalities strike through a ribbon 11 which is controlled opposite the printing point by a guide 12 that is mounted on a non-traveling part of the machine. the ribbon 11 extending laterally from said guide and to stationary side guides 13 and thence passing downward to ribbon carriers of ordinary construction mounted within the main frame of the machine. The ribbon guide 12 may be vibratory as is usual, or it may be of the construction disclosed in the application of Arthur V. Smith filed May 10, 1917, Se-

- rial No. 167,629.

Means for advancing paper upward over the front face of the platen 9 and independently of turning movements thereof comprise cooperat-ing pressure rolls 14 and 15 which are causedto rotate by means of a ratchet wheel 16 operatively connected with the pressure roll 15 and adapted to be actu ated by a pawl 17 that is connected by a link 18 witha crank arm 19 fixed to a rock shaft 20 that bears in a bracket 21 rising from the right-hand end bar 8, said rock shaft terminating at its forward end in a downwardly extending finger piece or handle 22. Said finger piece 22 not only operates through the described connections to actuate the pawl 17 to turn the ratchet wheel 16 and pressure rolls 1 5 and 14 but may also be employed to restore the carriage from left to right. In addition to the main carriage comprising the front and rear bars 6 and 7 and the end bars 8. there is provided also a supplemental carriage, not here shown but which controls the pressure rolls 15 and 14, these latter moving length wise of the main carriage and independently thereof with the supplemental carriage. This supplemental or sub-carriage and associate rolls are or may be of the construction fully disclosed in the patent to Furnharn, Smith & Phelps, No. 1,071,612. dated Aug. 26, 1913. The platen, which is normally held from turning by a spring pressed detent 10 in cooperation with the ratchet wheel 10, is adapted to'be rotated by devices. not herein shown, which cooperate with said ratchet wheel 10.

Means for guiding and controlling paper at the upper side of the platen comprise a pressure bail which includes a cross bar 23 which extends along the upper side of the platen and is provided with pressure rolls 24 that cooperate with the upper surface of the platen. At its ends said bail is secured to forwardly curving arms 25. Said arms are provided with lateral headed screws 26 that engage in slots, indicated at 27, in the rear ends of arms 28 that are fixed to and extend horizontally rearward from a square rock shaft 29 that bears at its ends in brackets 30 fixed to the front side of the main carriage frame near its ends. Hairpin springs 31 cooperate with thescrews 26 to maintain them at the rear ends of the slots 27. The pressurebail 23, 25 is thus pivot-ally and yieldingly connected with the U-shaped supporting frame comprising the arms 28 and rock shaft 29. The construction is such that relative movement between .the two frames or bails is afforded. which movement permits the manifold cut-out strip or type shield 32 to be moved circumferentially of the platen. This strip is secured at its ends to arms 33 fixed to the cross bar 23 and lies close to the surface of the platen, both when it is inoperative as in Figs. 1 and 2 and when it is moved down to cover the printing line. In addition to the relative movement between the two bails afforded by the screw and slot connection 26. 27, the bails may be swung upward and forward to an inoperative position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Besides the main ribbon 11 the machine is provided with an additional or carriage carried ribbon 34: which is wound on spools 35. These spools are arranged vertically in parallelism, one near each end of the carriage at its front side. Each spool, as most clearly appears in Fig. 8, comprises a hub 86 and flanges 37 and is supported on a driving or spool shaft 38 which extends lengthwise of the carriage in front thereof. said shaft being supported near its ends on angular arms or brackets 39 and 40, these brackets being secured to arms 41 that are fixed to and extend forward from the end. bars 8 and carry the supporting bar 42 for the totalizers of the adding mechanism with which the machine is usually provided. The ribbon spools are loosely mounted on the shaft or axle 38 and are adapted to be connected at will with said shaft by pawl and ratchet devices, the ratchet devices compris ing teeth 43 struck up from the face of the right-hand flanges of the spools 85. T he cooperative pawls 44 are pivoted between their ends in slots formed in enlarged portions of the shaft 38, one arm of each pawl being provided with a tooth to engage with the ratchet devices 43 and the other arm cooperating with a detent spring 45 secured to the shaft and which operates to maintain the pawl engaged with the ratchet wheel, as shown in Fig. 8, or thrown out of engagement therewith. Of course the pawls are alternately engaged so as to force the spools to turn with the shaft at different times and feed the ribbon back and forth between them. In the present instance the right-hand pawl is shown in operation, thus connecting the right-hand spool to turn with the driving shaft 38, while the left-hand pawl is shown thrown out or inoperative and the left-hand spool in consequence is loose on the shaft. From the spools 35 the ribbon 3 1 isled off from the upper side of the coiled portion on the hub of the spool and thence downward and rearward, passing under a rock shaft 46 which bears in the end ea er)? bars 8, said rock shaft being comprised in the guiding devices for the ribbon 34:. These guiding devices further include arms 47 which are fixed to and extend horizontally rearward from the rock shaft near its ends and are provided at their rear ends with turning bars or guiding devices. The front elevation of the right-hand turning bar device is illustrated in Fig. 3, Fig. t being a cross section of the same. The guiding devices extend inward from the supporting arms 47 and are formed by extensions 48 which are bent inward at right angles from the ends of the arms. Each extension is slotted or cut out to provide at its top a horizontal turning bar 49 and is likewise cut out at its lower portion to provide a diagonal turning bar 50. From the under side of the rock shaft 46 the ribbon passes rearward over the top of the horizontal turning bar a9 and thence downward and over the diagonal turning bar 50, and thence horizontally inward along the front face of the platen opposite the printing line, said ribbon normally covering the printing line substantially throughout the length of the platen. A protective strip or band of uncolored fabric, indicated at 51, may be provided to cover the front face of the printing portion of the ribbon at, or that portion extending between the turning bars 50. The protective strip is secured at its ends to pins or pointed projections 52 on the arms or end bars t7 (Figs. 3 and The guiding devices comprising the rock shaft to, arms 47 and extensions 48, are loosely connected with the frame 28, 29, the connection comprising, as shown in Fig. 2 a link 53 pivoted at its lower end at 54 to one of the arms t7. The upper end of the link is slotted, as indicated at 55, the slot being engaged by a headed screw 56 fixed to the adjacent arm 28. The construction is such that relative movement is permissible between the frame 28, 29 and the ribbon guid ing frame or bail, so that the manifold cut-- out 32 may be moved into and out of opera,- tion without affecting the ribbon guide. 0n the other hand, when the frame 28, 29 is thrown back to inoperative position, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, rendering the pressure rolls 24 inoperative, the ribbon guiding frame 46%8 is swung back to the dotted line position shown in said figure, carrying the. ribbon 34 to inoperative position.

In order to turn the ribbon driving shaft 38 and feed the ribbon 34 along the platen and from one spool to the other, devices are provided which are automatically operated by the line spacing or paper advancing handle or finger piece 22. Said devices, as illustrated in Figs. 1. 5 and 6. comprise a disk 57 secured to the right-hand end portion of the shaft 38 and formed on its inner face with a circular series of ratchet teeth Cooperative with said ratchet teeth 1s a pawl 59 pivoted to a crank arm 60 secured to the rock shaft 20. said pawl being pressed by a spring 61 constantly toward the ratchet teeth or wheel 58. Normally the pawl is held away from the ratchet teeth by a spring finger 62 that is screwed to the top of the right-hand arm 41. The free end of this spring finger is bent inward to engage with the ratchet wheel 58 and serves as a detent for the ratchet wheel and its shaft 38, as wellas providinga shield to hold the pawl 59 normally disengaged from said ratchet wheel. The construction is such that when the finger piece 22 is operated to turn the rolls 14 and 15 and thus advance paper over the platen, the pawl and ratchet devices 59. 58cooperate to automatically turn the shaft 38 in the direction of the arrow at Fig. 2, this operation turning the connected spool (in the present instance the right-hand spool) to wind the ribbon thereon and through the unwound portion of the ribbon itself also acting to turn the loose (or lefthand spool) to unwind the ribbon therefrom. The shaft may also be turned bv hand bymeans of a crank arm (33 fixed to its right-hand end and provided with a finger piece 6-1.

The ribbon tensioning or slack preventing devices with which my invention is more immediately concerned. comprise two contrivances or sets of devices, one associated with each ribbon spool and designated as a whole by the numeral 65. These devices. contrivances or mechanisms 65 are alike in construction so that a specific description of one of them will sutlice for both. The mechanism 65, illustrated in detail in Figs. 8 to 15, is the left-hand mechanism, which it will be recalled has been rendered automatically operative at this time, owing to the fact that the left-hand spool is disconnected from the ribbon driving shaft while the right-hand spool is connected to said shaft, the ribbon winding on the right-hand spool when the shaft is turned and unwinding off the left-hand spool. Each contriw ance or mechanism (55 comprises a sleeve, casing or cover 66 open at its ends and divided into two parts by a vertical partition or wall 67, the portion or part of the casing to the left of the wall receiving a set of friction devices hereinafter described, and the right-hand portion housing a coiled retarding or brake spring 68. The outer end of this spring is anchored to a hook 69 fixed to the inner wall of the casing while the inner end of said spring is connected to a hook 70 that )rojects outward from the hub portion 71 of 'a sleeve or core piece which further comprises a flange 72 that substantially closes the casing at its right-hand end, covering the spring and preventing its accidental displacement from the casing. The flange 72 is provided with an outwardly projecting pin 73 that is adapted to fit into a slot 74 in the left-hand flange 37 of the adjacent ribbon spool, thus detachably connecting the device or sleeve 71, 72 as well as the inner end of the spring 68 with the spool. The device 71, 72 bears rotatably on f the enlarged right-hand end portion 75 of an inner sleeve or hollow, stub shaft, desig nated as a whole by the numeral 76 and shown detached in Fig. '15. This stub shaft provides a bearing for. the casing 66 and its contents, being detachable and attachable with the .tension mechanism 65 as a whole, of which mechanism the stub shaft is a part. At its right-hand end the stub shaft is drilled centrally, as indicated at 77, to fit over the shaft 38. A pin 78, projecting radially from the shaft 38, engages in a slot 79 cut in a flange 80 at the right-hand end of the stub shaft 76, the construction providing for detachably connecting the stub shaft or sleeve 76 with the shaft 38 so that the two will be forced to rotate in unison. The partition 67 is perforated to afford a passageway. for the stub shaft 76 which is reduced in diameter to the left of the partition, the left-hand end portion being formed with a longitudinal slot, indicated at 81, and its left-hand end being exteriorly threaded. The part of the casing to the left of the partition 67 houses a set of "friction disks which are strung on the reduced portion 75 of the shaft 76. The set comprises in the present instance alternate disks or circular plates of fiber or composition, and steel, numbered respectively 82 and 83. The fiber disks 82 are provided with bearing openings to fit over the portion 7 5 of the stub shaft andproiecting inward from these bearing openings are lugs 84, said lugs being integral with the disks 82 and fitting into the slot 81. in the stub shaft, the disks 82 thus being forced toturn with said stub shaft and through the connection 78, 79 with the driving shaft 38. The steel disks 83 are provided with larger holes through which the stub shaft passes and have radially projecting lugs 85 which engage in a slot 86 formed in the casing 66, the steel disks being thus connected with the casing so that the disks 83 and the casing must turn together along with the outer end of thespring 68, which is hooked to said casing. The alternating disks 82 and 83 which are thus positively connected for turning to separate parts or elements, viz., the shaft 38 and the casing 66, are pressed together by a three-arm spring plate 87 which fits over the shaft 76 at the left of the set of friction disks and is forced against said disks by means of a nut 88 which. is screwed on to the threaded outer end of the shaft .76. By means of this nut the spring plate 87 may be caused to press the set of friction disks against the partition 67 with varying degrees of pressure, thus varying the friction between the individual friction disks or plates. A thumb screw 89 screws into the left-hand end of the shaft 38 and prevents displacement of the left-hand tension contrivance or mechanism 65. For the righthand contrivance 65 the function of the thumb screw 89 is subserved by a collar 90 (Fig. 7) which is fixed to the shaft 38 to the left of the right-hand nut 88 by a set screw 91. Safety devices to prevent overwinding of the spring 68 in the course of operations comprise two lugs or stops 92 and 93, the former projecting radially inward from the inside of the casing 66 at its right-hand edge and the lug 93 project ing radially outward from the periphery of the flange 72, each lug extending into the path of the other.

Referring to the operation of the ribbon tensioning contrivance or mechanism it will be recalled that when the spool driving shaft 38 turns for feeding the ribbon it turns in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6, or clockwise when viewed from the left as in Fig. 13. The spring 68 is wound so that if its outer end is held, its inner end, tending to unwind, will also turn in clockwise direction when viewed from the left. The inner end, being connected through the device 71, 7 2 and pin and slot connection 73, 7 4 with the ribbon spool 35, will consequently tend to rotate the spool in the same direction, the spool in the present instance being the left-hand spool. The outer end of the tension or brake spring 68 is anchored to the casing which in turn is frictionally connected through the disks or devices 82 and '83 with the stub shaft 76 and through it with the main shaft 38. The frictional connection between the driving shaft 38 and the outer end of the spring is regulated through the nut 88 and spring plate 87 so that ordinarily the outer end of the spring will turn when the shaft turns, but if as a result of the turning the spring 68 becomes wound up so that its tendency to unwind exceeds the friction of the set of friction plates, the plates 82 and 83 will relatively yield, allowing the casing 66 to turn backward oppositely to the shaft, thus slightly lessening the spring tension, the turning continuing until the spring is so weakened that it is balanced by the friction between the disks. As an additional precaution the two lugs 92, 93 are provided. Should they be brought into contact unwound from the loose or left-hand spool, which will turn accordingly, oppositely from the shaft 3o. This tendency of the left-hand spool to turn in unwinding direction is resisted by the tensioning device, but the spring (38, being of course weaker than the power applied by the operator in turning the shaft 38, will not prevent the turning of the spool to unwind the ribbon but will exert a retarding or braking action which is sullicient to keep the unwound portion of the ribbon taut. As has been explained, the em tent of this braking action can be regulated through the pressure spring plate 87. After having once been regulated the tension or b airing action of the spring 68 is main-- tained because of the fact that the anchorage of its outer end is variable and irictionally controlled. Of course the spring tension will. ary more or less to a slight degree but practically the tension will remain uniform, excessive increase being prevented through the slip joint or safety action afforded by the friction disk connection; and as has been also explained, there is a further safety device in the stop lugs 92 and 93 to prevent an excess winding which would injure the mechanism. Not only does the sp ing 68 exert a braking action but it acts positively on the loose ribbon spool, tending constantly to turn it in the direction of rotation of the shaft 38. This effect of the spring is felt all the way through the unwound portion of the ribbon up to the winding on or feeding spool so that when the ribbon mechanism is in action and also when it is not being operated the spring is constantly effective to keep the printing portion of the ribbon taut between its guides. The tension regulating devices afford means for so regulating the effect of the spring that it shall effectually perform its functions as explained without having unnecessary pull which would only require needless expenditure of power in operating the handle 22 to overcome it.

When the paper controlling and ribbon guiding devices are thrown back to the inoperative position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, the change of relationship of the ribbon guiding devices 46-48 inrespect to the spools or carriers 35, will result in a slight increase in the amount of the unwound portion of the ribbon, and consequently a turning of the ribbon spools to permit of this. In other words, both ribbon spools will turn slightly backward or in a direction opposite to that otthe operative rotation of the shaft 38. The result would be in the absence of my improvements that when the ribbon guiding devices l-i8 were restored to normal pOSItlOHflthGIB would be considerable looseness or slack in the prin ing portion of the ribbon. W'ith the contrivance in use, however, this slach will be automatically taken up during the return movement of the ribbon guiding devices so that when they are completely restored the ribbon will be as taut as before.

As has been explained, my invention is particularly useful when employed in connection with the carriage carried ribbon. the printing portion of which being interleaved. with work sheets is particularly subjected during the adjustment and feeding of such sheets, to treatment which tends to slaclren it and to displace it. These tendencies are overcome and prevented by the employment of my invention, which, however, of course is useful in other connections or in combination with other constructions of ribbon mechanism.

Various changes may be made without departing from my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. in a writing machine, the combination of ribbon mechanism comprising a ribbon carrier, a guide movable independently of said carrier, said guide being arranged so that a comparatively long strip of ribbon is exposed opposite the printing line, and means tending to prevent the displacement of the exposed portion of the ribbon widthwise of the printing line and for taking up slack resulting from the movement of the guide independently of said carrier to carry the exposed portion of the ribbon away from and back to its normal position opposite the printing line.

la a writing machine, the combination of a driven ribbon spool, a loose paycfi ribbon spool, a swinging bail provided with ribbon guides and so mounted that when it is swung from operative to inoperative position a portion of the ribbon is unwound, and spring means connected to the loose spool, said spring means being efiective to take up the slack in the ribbon due to the swinging movements of said bail.

3. In a writing machine, the combination of a driven ribbon spool, a loose pay-off ribbon spool, a swinging bail provided with ribbon guides and so mounted that when it is swung from operative to inoperative position a portion of the ribbon is unwound, spring means connected to the loosespool, said spring means being wound up during the unwinding of the ribbon and being elf-- fective to take up the slack in the ribbon due to the swinging movements of said bail, and means for preventing over-winding of said spring means. i

4. In a writing machine, the combination of a rotary ribbon carrier, a ribbon guide swingable independently of said carrier, a shaft for said carrier, 2, spring connection. between said shaft and said carrier, and means for automatically varying the tension of said spring connection, the construction being efi'ective to prevent the accidental displacement of the printing portion vof the ribbon controlled bysaid guide and to take up slack due to the swinging movements of said guide independent of said carrier to carry the printing portion of the ribbon away from and back to its normal posi' tion.

5. In a writing machine, the combination of a rotary ribbon carrier, a ribbon guide swingable independently of said carrier, a shaft, a spring, connections between said spring and said ribbon carrier, and connections between said spring and said shaft, one of said connections comprising a friction device, the construction being ell'ective to prevent the accidental displacement of the printing portion of the ribbon controlled by said guide and to take up slack due to the swinging movements of said guide to carry the printing portion of the ribbon away from and back to its normal position- (i. In a writing machine, the combination of a rotary ribbon carrier, a ribbon guide swingable independently of said carrier, intermittently operating turning means for said carrier, constantly operating means tending to turn said carrier oppositely from said turning means and devices for automatically regulating said constantly operating means, the construction being efi'ective to prevent the accidental displacement of the printing portion of the ribbon con trolled by said guide and to take up slack due to the swinging movements of said guide to carry the printing portion of the ribbon away from and back to its normal position.

7. In ribbon mechanism for writing machines, the combination of ribbon spools, a ribbon guide swingable independently of said ribbon spools, said guide normally: maintaining opposite the printing line the exposed portion of the ribbon between said spools, and ribbon tensioning devices comprising a coiled spring and means for automatically maintaining a substantially cone stant tension on said spring, the construction being effective to prevent the accidental displacement of the printing portion of the ribbon controlled by said guide and to take portion of the ribbon between said spools,

and ribbon tension devices comprising a coiled spring and an automatically adjustable anchorage for one end of said spring, the construction being effective to prevent maintaining a substantially uniform tension onthat portion of the ribbon that is within said guide, said means comprising tension devices, one associated with each carrier, said tension devices being thrown into and out of operation automatically according as their associate carriers are disconnected from and connected to said driving means.

10. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a pair of ribbon carriers, driving means therefor, a ribbon guide that maintains the ribbon extended along the printing line substantially throughout the length of the platen, and means for maintaining substantially uniform tension on the extended ribbon, said means comprising tension devices, one associated with each carrier, said tension devices being thrown into and out of operation automatically according as their associate carriers are disconnected from and connected to said driving means.

' 11. In a typew iting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen thereon, means on the carriage for supporting and feeding a ribbon, said means comprising a pair of ribbon carriers and driving means with which they are adapted to be alternately connected, and means for maintaining a substantially uniform tension on the printing portion of the ribbon, said means comprising tension devices, one associated with each carrier, said tension devices being thrown into and out of operation automatically according as their associate carriers are disconnected from and connected to said driving" means.

12. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen thereon,means on the carriage for supporting and feeding the ribbon, said means comprising a pair of ribbon carrier and driving means with which they are adapted to be alternatelyconnected, and means for maintaining a substantially uniform tension on the printing portion of the ribbon, said last recited means comprising a pair of coiled springs, one associated with each ribbon carrier, said springs tendingto impede the feeding of the ribbon when their associate carriers are disconnected from the driving means, said springs being automatically rendered inoperative when their associate carriers are operatively Y carrier,

- saaeov connected to said driving means to wind up the ribbon.

13. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a pair of rotary ribbon carriers. feeding means with which one of said carriersv is positively connected, and means tending to impede said feeding means and operative on the other carrier. said last recited means comprising a coiled spring and a friction device connected to said spring.

14. In a writing machine, the combination of a ribbon carrier, a support therefor. means for drawing the ribbon from said carrier, retarding devices comprising a coiled spring connected at one end to said carrier, an element to which the other end of said spring is connected, a friction disk connected positively to said support and a cooperating friction disk connected positively to said element.

1."). In a writing machine, the combination of a ribbon carrier, a support therefor, means for drawing the ribbon from said retarding devices comprising a coiled spring connected at one end to said carrier, an element to which the other end of said spring is connected, and a set of friction disks, every other disk being posi: tively connected to said support and the alternating disks being positively connected to said element.

16. In a writing machine, the combination of a driving shaft, hand operated pawl and ratchet devices for turning said shaft, a pair of spools loosely mounted on said shaft, pawl and ratchet devices for at will connecting said spools with said shaft, and braking devices for said spools comprising a pair of coiled springs that are thrown into and out of use when said connecting pawl and ratchet devices are operative.

17. In ribbon mechanism for writing machines, the combination of a ribbon spool, and braking devices for said spool comprising a coiled spring and friction disks connected to said spring.

18. In ribbon mechanism for writing machines, the combination of a ribbon spool, and braking devices for said spool comprising a coiled spring, friction disks connected to said spring, and means for at will regulating the friction between said disks 1.). In av writing machine, the combination of a platen, a ribbon carrier, a ribbon guide that may be moved independently of said carrier so as to carry the printing portion of the ribbon into and out of" operative relationship with the printing point, and automatically acting tension devices that maintain a substantially uniform tension on the ribbon in both positions of said guide, and that ope ate to take up slack due to the movements of said guide in cail \'ing the printing portion into and out of operative relationship with the printingpoint.

20. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen thereon, a ribbon guide pivoted on the carriage and normally maintaining the ribbon extended along the platen opposite the printing line. ribbon carriers. mounted on said carriage independently of said ribbon guide, and ribbon tension devices for taking up slack in the unwound portion of the ribbon due to swinging movements of said guide about its pivot.

21. In a front strike typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a platen thereon, a ribbon guide pivoted on the carriage and normally maintaining the ribbon ex tended along the platen opposite the printing line. ribbon carriers mounted on said carriage independently of said ribbon guide, and ribbon tension devices for taking up slack in the unwound portion of the ribbon due to the swinging movements of said guide about its pivotal axis.

22. In ribbon mechanism for writing machines. the combination of a ribbon spool, and braking devices for said spool comprising a coiled spring, a plurality of friction disks effective on said spring, a second spring for pressing said disks together, and means for regulating the pressure of said second spring.

23. In ribbon mechanism for writing machines. the combination of a ribbon spool, an axle therefor, a coiled spring having connections at one end to said spool and at the other end to said axle, and stop devices for limiting thewinding up of said spring,

24. In ribbon mechanism for writing inachines. the combination of a ribbon spool, a rotatable shaft on which said spool is loosely mounted, said spool tending to turn oppositely from said shaft during ribbon feeding movements, a coiled spring having connections at one end to said shaft and at the opposite end to said spool, and stop de vices for limiting the winding up of said spring.

25. In ribbon mechanism for writing machines. the combination of a ribbon spool, an axle therefor, a spring coiled around said axle and having connections at its inner end to said spool, a rotary device with which the outer end of said spring is connected, and a plurality of friction disks, certainof said disks being positively connected with said rotary device and certain other of said disks being positively connected with said axle.

26. In ribbon mechanism for writing inachines, the combination of a ribbon spool, an axle therefor; and a spring b aking de vice detachably mounted on said axle and connected with said spool, said device comprising a sleeve, a flanged sleeve surrounding the first sleeve, a coiled spring connected at its inner end to said flanged sleeve. a cylindrical housing covering said spring and to which the other end of said spring is connected, and a set of friction disks Within said housing, alternate disks being positively connected to turn respectively with said housing and With said first named sleeve.

27. in ribbon mechanism for writing machines, the combination of a ribbon spool, an axle therefor; and a spring braking device detachably mounted on said axle and connected with said spool, said device comprising a sleeve, aflanged sleeve sur ounding the first sleeve, a coiled spring connected at one end to said flanged sleeve, a cylindrical housing covering said spring and to which the other end of said spring is con nected, a set of friction disks Within said housing, alternate disks being positively connected respectively to turn with said housing and with said first named sleeve, and cooperating stoplugs one on said flanged sleeve and the other on said housing for limiting the winding up of said spring.

28. in ribbon mechanism for Writing machines, the combination of a ribbon spool;

neaepor said first named sleeve, a pressure spring for said disks, and a nut threaded on said first recited sleeve for regulating the pressure of said pressure sgring and for retaining said disks in place.

Signed at the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New Yorlr, this 21st day of May, A. D. 1917. I

JUSEPH PHELPS. Witnesses CHARLES ldl. bMITi-I, LILLIAN Nansen. 

